ASEAN’s 50th Anniversary: An Opportunity for a New Opening in Economic Relations with Poland

The Polish Institute of International Affairs is an analytical institution established by an act of Parliament in 1996 to carry out research and provide expertise in international affairs. PISM disseminates information on contemporary international issues and maintains contacts with academic and political centres in Poland and abroad. The Institute runs courses for public servants, maintains a library (open to the public; 165,000 books and journals), organises conferences, and publishes books, periodicals and documents on Polish foreign policy and international matters.

The funding for PISM comes from the budget. The director is appointed by the prime minister for a term of five years, following consultation with the minister of foreign affairs. The minister supervises the Institute and appoints its advisory council, which includes a representative of the President of the Republic of Poland, academics and officials.This year 2017, ASEAN celebrated its 50th anniversary. Established in 1967, the organisation had contributed to sustaining peace in Southeast Asia and to the rapid economic development of the region in recent decades. It has been perceived as one of the most successful integration projects in Asia. Despite its rising economic position, ASEAN’s economic relations with Poland were unsatisfactory and did not tap the potential. Among the ways to improve the situation would be to take advantage of progressive integration within the ASEAN Economic Community and to intensify efforts to promote Poland in the region.